Sprezzatura

I have finally become my mother. I have developed a powerful addiction that proves it without question. My mother loves dishes. She is not picky in her affections, no particular style affinity. Just dishes. I am a bit more style-specific. I have amassed a huge collection of Italian pottery- dishes, bowls, platters, mugs, pitchers, olive boats and other odd pieces. I have no need for them. Before I started my collection, I already had a couple of sets of perfectly serviceable standard china dishes. But I simply cannot resist the patterns, the colors, the textures, the chunky solidity embodied in handmade Italian pottery. The imperfect perfection of these pottery pieces thrills me more than the finest French porcelain. I love the quirky, crooked lines and the shade variations of the hand-applied glazes. They happily remind me of the idiosyncrasy of lampworked glass beads. Riotous color and unpredictable shapes combined into a zesty amalgam. I've been inspired by my Italian pottery to create beads with the same sprezzatura. What is "sprezzatura"? Sprezzatura is an old Italian term which describes the art of making something difficult seem easy, spontaneous, with a nonchalance that belies the difficulty. I am still experimenting with various interpretations of this inspiration (see a few of my experiments at bottom right of the accompanying photo- click on photo to see details). My efforts will hopefully capture the general flavor of my wonderful pottery- piquant, simple yet complex, unique, slightly primitive with a child-like innocence. Irresistible. Bravo!

Suddenly, I have a craving for pasta...

"Those who forget the pasta are condemned to reheat it."- Anonymous